Life lessons learned from a garden and more.

Month: February 2017

I haven’t been writing about my garden because there’s really not much to say. There has been so little rain and so much wind and heat that most of my garden has died. There are a few herbs left that I’m keeping alive. About five minutes ago it started to rain. Thunder, lightning, the whole package. I can hear the rain beating down on the tin roof. What an awesome sound.

Last week I spoke to a local farmer who is in his 80’s and he’s farmed in this district for all his life. He told me that he’s never seen a drought like this. He doesn’t want to check on his cattle anymore because he can’t bear to see them starve. My husband spoke to a young farmer who was in tears when he told him how hard it is for him to know that there isn’t enough food for his animals.

This is real life. This is where the tyre strikes the tar. Grown men don’t shed tears easily. When a man cries (especially a farmer) you know that his heart is hurting. Does God care? Does He send a drought to force us to get on our knees and become humble again or does He test our faith with harsh circumstances? I don’t know. I really, honestly don’t know. I do know that if things always go well with us we won’t need God and we won’t need miracles. We probably won’t even be thankful for what we have because we’ll take it for granted. I don’t think that God brings bad things over our paths to make us better people or that He tests us with things like disease. I do know that we as humans have free choice. I also know that God is love and that He would never do something bad to us. Romans 8:28 says that God lets all things work together for the good of those that love Him. So, if bad things happen to us and we keep holding onto God and His promises He will make it good for us in the end.

A beautiful rainbow representing one of God’s spectacular promises

There’s a song that says “Because He lives I can face tomorrow.” I believe that no matter what happens here on earth there is a bright future for us and if it’s not so bright here on earth it will certainly be very bright in Heaven where the streets are paved with gold.

If it only rains enough to wet the top layer of soil so be it. If it rains so much that everything is washed away and I have to start all over again that’s OK too. Because Jesus lives I will face tomorrow with a smile.

Why does everyone react with fear to the word ‘diet’? Well, I suppose it is a 4 letter word but there are a lot of 4 letter words that nobody even bats an eyelid at anymore. They have been used so often and so publically that they have become part of everyday language. People have become desensitized to them. That’s actually really terrible but why isn’t the same thing true about the ‘d’ word?

Firstly it takes us out of our comfort zone – and we don’t like being out of our comfort zones. Comfort zones are comfortable and nice and easy. Comfort zones aren’t like a worn-out couch with the springs that are popping out and sticking your rear end every time you sit down. They aren’t like a bed of nails that’s going to hurt you every time you move. Not at all. That’s why we don’t like getting out of our comfort zone. Food is even named after it – comfort food – it should be called comfort zone food. When you don’t feel well your first reaction is often to reach for some starchy, sweet, sticky familiar food and feed your unwellness.

Now someone mentions that your girth is growing or you double chin has doubled up. Your bathroom scale groan when you step on it as if you had dome it some bodily harm. The dreaded word starts to form in your head and you immediately go into denial. There’s no way you need to lose weight, you convince yourself that there is something wrong with your scale and that your friends need glasses. But it just won’t go away. The scary little word keeps following you around and each time you open a magazine or go onto the net and you see the skinny bodies in bathing costumes and you know that your belly fat will be flopping over the edges of that miniscule piece of fabric. When you buy a chocolate bar at your local supermarket the cashier’s eyes widen ever so slightly. Your husband starts buying you diet soda and when you ask him about it he shrugs and says he didn’t realize it was sugar free.

All the signs are plain to see. You have to make a plan. But the pull of your comfort zone is so strong. It’s like a drug, a habit, something you just can’t leave behind. We all know that feeling. What you have to do is see it as a challenge. Make a decision that eating healthy food is going to be the new normal. Don’t call it a diet, call it and eating plan or a lifestyle or you could invent a brand new word that’s going to make you sound super cool when you tell your friends. Just get out of that comfy chair and face the big ‘D’, take it by the horns and face up to it. Don’t let it rule you and intimidate you. You can do this. You can get out of your comfort zone and not only if you need to go on a diet, but with whatever you want to do.

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